Electric fan



Dec. 3l, 1929. R. G. RICHARDSON ELECTRIC FAN Original Filed Sept. 30. 1920 Patented Dec. 31, 1.929

UTED STATES RODNEY G. RICHARDSON,

OF CIEICAG, ILLL'NOIS ELECTRIC FAN Application filed September 30, 1920, Serial My invention relates in `general to electrically operated inns, or at least in its present torni it is chiei'ly useful-in connection with such devices; and the object ci' the invention is to provide new and improved means tor producing a rotary motion in a horizontal plane. Hitherto electric fans have been provided with a system of `gears driven by the tan motor tor rotating' the tan so as to agitato the l@ air in all parts oi the room, the rotary movement being,- either continuous or oscillating, as occasion requires, and in the latter case being` usually adjustable as regards the arc ot rotation.

By my invention l am able to accomplish the results hitherto attained in this direction, and at the same time am able to do so entirely without the use of gears or equivalent mechanism. In short, l support the tan on a pivot 2@ or horizontal axis so that it is out. ot balance, or in unstable equilibrium, the said axis being in turn pivoted about a vertical axis on which the tan as a whole is tree to turn. As stated, the horizontal axis is not at the center ot balance, so to speak, and when the rotating` tan is acted on by lgravity, the gyroscopic couple set up causes the entire tan to rotate in a horizontal plane about the vertical axis. Means is provided tor shitting; the tan bodily on the horizontal axis to change the point ot balance and thus change the direction ot rotation, and the shift is made to occur periodically in the case ot one type ot tan; in another type, the continuously rotating;v type, 7, this shitt is accomplished by hand when it is desired to start or stop the rotation.

Having pointed out the principal objectot the invention in general terms, the means by which the desired results are accomplished will now be described more in detail, reference beinghad to the accompanying' drawing, in which Fis. 1 shows a desk :tan arranged tor reciprocating; rotary motion, while Fig. 2 shows a ceiling' 'tan adapted to rotate continuously until stopped, 3 shows the circuit connections tor the desk fan, while Fig. 4 is another view ot the slotted block 23, Fia. 1.

Referring#` iirst to Fig. 1, the reference character 2 indicates a base which rests on any suitable support, as a desk. rlhe hollow mem- No. 413,779. Renewed November 18, 1926.

ber 3, which may be a piece ot pipe threaded as shown, is screwed into the center ot the base and projects upward in a vertical direction. This piece ot pipe 'forms the vertical axis and on it is pivotally supported a iflat elongated trame piece 4 which carries the tan and other parts. Two l. shaped members 5 and 6 are secured to the trame 4 by means ot machine screws as shown, and each member has a central hole slightly larger in diameter than the diameter ot the pipe 3. The latter passes up through these holes and carries the stationary members ot two sets of ball bearings by which the trame 4 is rotatably mounted. The upper ball bearing, which carries all the weight, comprises steel discs 7 and 8 which are properly machined to provide a raceway :tor the balls. Disc 7 is attached to the member 6 by means of machine screws, while the other disc 8 is screwed down on the pipe 3 and is held by a lock nut. The lower bearing provides lateral support to the trame and is indicated by reference character 9 g beine; shown in section the construction will be understood without explanation.

Midway between the two bearings the pipe 3 carries means :tor completing` the electrical circuits by which the device is operated. This means consists ot a pair of collecting rings 37 and 38 mounted on a hard rubber cylinder, which in turn is securely fixed to the pipe 3 by means of two nuts, one above and one below. J ust below the collecting' rings are two commutators 39 and 40, which are rotatable on the pipe 3 and which may be temporarily held in any desired'position by means ot set screws. The brushes 33, 34,- 35, and 36 are held in a hard rubber block 32 which is attached to the trarne plate 4 as shown.

A little above its center the trame 4 carries a cross bar 14 which supports the tan motor 17 at the right and the weight 22 at the lett. The bar 14 may be ot iron or steel and is rectangular in cross section. it the right end ot bar 14 two short pieces ot somewhat lighter material, one oiz which is indicated by reference character 15, are attached on opposite sides by means ot short bolts vor screws. The lett bear ing` member ot the 'tan motor 17 is provided with an extension which iits between these two pieces attached to bar 14 and is clamped in place by a short bolt and wing nut 16. This arrangement permits the fan to be adjusted in a vertical plane. The motor and fan need not be described as any type may be used. It is noted, however, that a ring 18 is preferably added to the i'an, not only to protect the blades but to increase the gyroscopie couple. Needless to say, this ring must be securely attached to the blades. The weight 22 is supported on the other end ot' cross bar 14 and should be adjusted so te balance the weight of the motor with the apparatus in the position shown.

The means for supporting the cross bar 14 will now be considered: This consists ot two slotted blocks 23 and 24 and a roller 26. rThe roller is suitably attached to the frame 4 and projects forward through the slot 25 in the crossbar. This roller carries all the weight oi the cross bar and associated parts. The slotted blocks are provided merely to retain the cross bar in position at a distance ot about 1/2 inch from the trame. As indicated by the dotted lines, and as shown in the side view o1 block 23, just below weight 22, the slots in blocks 23 and 24 are .longer than the width ot the cross bar and these blocks do not therefore, interfere with a movement otthe cross bar about the roller 26 an axis. That is to say, the cross bar is tree to move about roller 26 as an axis to a certain extent, perhaps 2O degrees trom the horizontal each way.

In order to definitely imbalance the cross bar 14 by moving it longitudinally on roller 26 the magnets 30 and 3l and armature 27 are provided. The latter is pivoted on the frame 4 at 29, passes down in the rear of the cross bar and at its lower end carries a roller 28 which projects forward between two upwardly extending projections as shown. lt is to be understood that ordinarily the cross bar will not stand with the roller 26 in the center oi slot 25, as this is an unstable posi.- ti-on; but the roller will be at one end or the other, and shown in the drawing at the center merely for convenience. Suppose now that the-cross bar is moved to the right until the roller 26 is at the lett end ot slot- 25; the upper end of the armature 27 will then rest against the cores of magnet 30. Now it magnet 3l is energized the upper end ot the armature will be attracted, the armature will move on its pivot 29 and the cross bar will be moved longitudinally to the lett until the roller 26 lies at the right end of slot 25. Magnet 3l may now be deenergized and the cross bar will remain in this position even it slightly inclined to the horizontal, because ot a sli upward curve in the top of slot 25 at the end. The cross bar is moved to the right by energizing magnet 30 and is held in position by the same means. The enejrgization ot the magnets at the proper times is controlled by the commutators 39 and 40 as will be exs plained.

Although not shown, it is to be understood that all the mechanism may be enclosed in a sheet metal cover. This cover may be a box like structure, similar in outline to the trame 4. It is open at the bottom, recessed at the sides to clear the cross bar 14, and lits over the outside of the frame, being attached by screws to the L shaped pieces 5 and 6 and to the forward projecting lugs 42 and 43.

The circuit connections are shown in Fig.

The positive and negative leads from the source ot current supply are taken thru the base and center of pipe 3, and are connected to collecting rings 37 and 38, respectively. The negative lead is also connected to the live segments of commutatore 39 and 40. The motor is connected across brushes 33 and 34, and the former brush is also connected to one side ot both magnets 30 and 31. The other terminals ot these magnets are ,connected to brushes 35 and 36, respectively.

The operation is as follows: Suppose that the tan motor is at rest and the cross bar 14 is moved t-o the right so that roller 26 lies at the left end of slot 25. The motor end ot the cross bar will now be heavier than the weight end and the bar will turn about the roller 26 as an axis as far as the slots in blocks 23 and 24 permit. This is a stable condition of rest. The current may now be switched on, and the tan motor will begin to run as usual but nothing else happens. To start the rotary movement in a horizontal plane the weight 22 is now pressed down by hand until the cross bar is approximately horizontal, and the weight is then released. lvVhen the cross bar is set tree, since the motor end is the heaviest, the attraction of gravity causes a turning movement or couple about the roller or axis 26; but since the motor armature and fan are now rotating, a gyroscopic couple is instantly set up which tends to rotate the cross bar about a vertical aXis which is at right angles to the axis of rotation (the armature shaft) and the axis of the turning couple (the roller 26). This vertical axis passes through the center of the pipe 3 and since the entire mechanism is free to turn on this aXis, a rotary movement in a horizontal plane is set up whose direction will .be counter clockwise as viewed trom above.

This movement will 'continue until brush 36 engages the live segment ol commutator 40 (see Fig. 3), when a circuit will be closed through magnet 3l. Upon energizing, magnet 3l attracts armature 27 and by this means the cross bar is moved longitudinally to the lett until r-oller 26 lies in the right hand end of slot 25. The conditions of unbalance are now reversed, the weight end of the cross bar becomes the heaviest, and a gyroscopic ycouple is set up which causes the apparatus to rotate in the opposite direction, or clockwise as viewed from above. The movement continues in this direction until brush engages the live segment of commutator 39; this encrgizes magnet 30, the cross vbar is moved longitudinally to the right, and the original direction of rotation is resumed. The operation will continue in this manner indeiinitel or until the current is shut ofi, when the fan will slow down and stop, the gyroscopic effect will diminish and finally cease, and the cross bar will tip at an angle to the horizontal with either the weight or the motor down, depending` on the position of the cross bar on the roller 26 at the time.

Attention is now directed to the modication of my invention shown in Fig. 2. This iigure illustrates a ceiling type of fan which is somewhat simpler in construction than the desk fan hereinbefore described, although it embodies the same principle of operation. The fixture is adapted to be attached to the ceiling and carries a threaded piece of pipe 51 screwed into the center as shown. The frame plate 52 has two L shaped pieces 53 and 54 secured to it which have a central hole through which the pipe 51 passes. Ball bearings are provided whereby the frame 52 is pivoted on the pipe 51 as a vertical axis. The cross bar 6() carries the two fan motors 61 and 62 at opposite ends, and is held in place on the lower end of the frame by two slotted blocks 63 and 64. The cross bar fits loosely in the slotted biocks and is held about half an inch from the frame. The weight of the cross bar and motors, however, is supported by the flat triangular plate 65 which lies between the cross bar and frame and is pivoted to the latter at 70. The plate 65 is provided with a pin 66 which projects forward through an aperture in the cross bar and with the apparatus in the position shown, or the running position, supports the entire weight of the cross bar and motors. The position shown, however, is an unstable one so far as the cross bar is concerned, for the opening through which pin 66 projects is slightly to the left of the point of balance. When not running, therefore, the apparatus should be in the position assumed by rotating` the triangular member 65 to the right about pivot 70. This lowers the cross bar until it engages the bottom of the slots in blocks 63 and 64, when it will be supported firmly at two points. To provide for moving the triangular plate 65 to either position two cords 69 and 71 are provided. These cords pass up through a hole in the lower end of the frame and then to the left and right, respectively, over small pulley wheels, after which they are attached to plate 65.

The circuit connections are completed by means of collecting' rings 75 and 76 and associated brushes. The two rings are supported on a cylindrical block of insulating material which is secured to the pipe 51 by means of two nuts. Brushes 77 and 78 are held in a hard rubber block 79, which in turn is screwed to the frame 52. The positive and negative power leads are connected to the two collecting rings, respectively, and the two motors are connected in parallel across the brushes 77 and 78. The field of one motor should be reversed so that the motors will run in opposite directions. Tn view of the simplicity of the circuits no diagram is considered necessar .y

if suitable cover of sheet metal may be provided which is adapted to fit over the front of the frame plate 52 and enclose the working' parts. This cover may be similar to the cover provided for the fan shown in Fig. 1.

The operation is as follows: Let it be assumed that the fan is at rest with cross bar supported on blocks 63 and 64. If the current is switched on now both fans will begin to operate, but there will be no rotary movement in a horizontal plane because the cross bar is in a stable position. To start the rotary movement the cord 69 is pulled down, thus rotating the plate to the left about pivot 7 O until the pin 66 gets just beyond a vertical line through the center of the pivot, when the movement is stopped by lug 68. As a result of this turning of the plate 65, the cross bar 60 is raised off of the bottom of the slots in locks 63 and 64 and its weight is supported on pin 66; and since this pin has been moved past the center, the position of the plate 65 1s stable independent of tension on cord 69 The rotary motion in a horizontal plane will start as soon as the pin 66 takes the weight of the cross bar. As hereinbefore stated the opening through which pin 66 projects is somewhat to the left of the center of `gravity, and it follows, therefore, that when the cross bar is raised on pin 66 the attraction of gravity will cause a turning moment in a clockwise direction about pin 66 as an axis. As a result, a gyroscopic couple is set up which acts about an axis at right angles to this turning couple and causes the entire fan to rotate about the pipe 51. Assuming that the fan motor 61 is rotating' in a clockwise direction viewed from in front of the fan, the cross bar and two motors willrotate in a clockwise direction as viewed from the top.

To stop the rotary movement the cord 71 is pulled. This turns the member 65 about pivot and when pin 66 gets past the dead center the cross bar will drop into a stable position of rest at the bottom of the slots in blocks 63 and 64.

Vhile I have described my invention as applied to a certain type of electric fan, it is to be understood that the various features of improvementare not necessarily limited to any particular type of fan, or even to electric fans in general.,

as it 1s conceived that certain of the features will be found to be of utility in connection with mechanisms diifering widely in design and function. I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the precise form oi' my invention disclosed herein, but desire to include and have protected by Letters Patent all forms, however different, which come fairly within the scope oi the appended claims.

That I claim is:

'1. In combination, an electric fan, and means :tor rotating the fan in a horizontal. plane by means of a gyroscopic couple; said means comprising suitable supportingl axes positioned at right angles to each other and to the shaft of the fan motor, and means for producing a condition of imbalance about a particular one of said axes.

2. In combination, an electric tan, a vertical axis for supporting said tan to enable it to rotate in a horizontal plane and means for 2, setting` up a gyroscopic couple about said axis to cause said fan to rotate as set forth; said means comprising` a horizontal axis, and means for producinga condition of imbalance about said horizontal 3. The combination, with an electric tan, oit means for unstably supportiiig said lan on a horizontal axis, whereby the attraction ot gravity causes a turning couple in a vertical plane, and means for supporting said iirst axis on a vertical axis whereby'the gyroscopie couple generated turns the entire tan in a' horizontal plane.

4, The combination, with an electric tan,

ot a supporting axis at right angles to the shaft ot the tan motor, a second supporting axis at right angles to said tirstaxis and to said shaft, and means for causing a turning couple about said lirst axis. whereby a gyroscopic couple is set up tending to causelrotal tion about said second axis.

f3. In combination, an electric tan, a substantially vertical axis for supporting said ia-n, means for setting up a gyroscopic couple about said axis to cause said fan to rotate in a horizontal plane, and means for reversing the direction of said couple to reverse the direction of rotation. i

6. In combination, an electric tan, a substantially vertical axis Jfor supporting said tan, means for setting up a gyroscopic couple about said axis to cause said tan to rotate in a horizontal plane, and means for periodically and automatically reversing the direction of said couple to reverse the direction of rotation.

7. In combination, an electric fan, a substantially vertical axis for supporting` said fan, means for setting up a gyroscopic couple about said axis to cause said tan to rotate in a horizontal plane, and means operated automatically after the rotation has continued to a predetermined extent for reversing the direction of said couple to reverse the direction of rotation.

8. In combination, an electric fan, a substantially vertical axis for supporting` said tan, means for setting up a gyroscopic couple about said axis to cause said tan to rotate in a horizontal plane, means operated automatically after the rotation has continued to a predetermined extent for reversing the direction or" said couple to reverse the direction of rotation, and means tor adjusting said auto` matic means to provide for any desired arc of rotation.

9. The combination with a rotating body, ol means for supporting the saine on a horizontal axis, means for supporting said hori! zontal axis on a vertical axis, means tor unbalanci the said body on the horizontal axis, whereby a turning couple is up which generates a gyroscopic couple acting about said vertical axis, and means tor reversing the vcondition ot imbalance to reverse the direction of both couples.

10. rlihe combination with a rotating body, ot means 'for supporting the same on a horizontal axis, means Yfor supiliiorting said horizontal axis on a ..iertical axis, means for unbalancing t said body on the horizontal axis, whereby a turning couple is set up which gencrates a gyroscopic couple acting about said vertical axis, and means for automatically and periodically reversing the condition ot' imbalance to reverse the direction of said couples.

11-` The combination, with a rotating body, ot-thrce supporting axes all in dilerent planes and one oi said axes being the axis of rota-tion, means for causing a turning couple about the second axisr wlierby a Iyroscopic couple is set up about the third axis, an means for reversing the direction ot said turning couple to reverse the direction of said gyroscopic coul2. The combination, with a rotating body, of means i'or supporting said body on a vertical axis and means iter causing a reciprocating rotary movement about said axis by gyroscopic action.

13. The combination, with a rotating body, of means for supporting said body on a vertical axis, means for setting up a gyroscopic couple to canse said body to rotate about said axis, and means for periodically changing the direction ot said couple to change the direction of rotation.

le. The combination, with a rotating body, of a cross bar supporting said body at one end and a balancing weight at the other, a horizontal axis for supporting said cross bar, means for shitting said cross bar longitudinally of said horizontal axis, in either direction, whereby turning couples may be set up in either direction in a vertical plane to cause gyroscopic couples in either direction in a horizontal plane, a vertical axis "for supporting said horizontal axis whereby said cross bar is enabled to rotate in a horizontal plane under the influence of said gyroscopic couples,

and automatic means for causing the shifting of said cross bar to occur periodically, thereby causing a reciprocating rotary movement about said vertical axis.

15. The combination, with an electric fan, of a supporting member positioned substantially at the point oi balance, and means for shifting said fan bodily on said member to set up a condition of unbalance.

16. The combination, with an electric fan, of the reciprocating rotary type, of a supporting member positioned substantially at the point of balance, electro-magnetic means for shifting the 'an on said support to create a condition of imbalance, and circuits for said means opened and closed automatically during the rotation oi the tan.

17. The combination, with an electric fan, of a supporting member positioned substantially at the point of balance, and means for automatically altering the position or the ian on said support to create a condition of unbalance.

18. The combination, with a rotating member, of means Jor generating a gyroscopic couple to move said member about an axis non-coincident With the axis of rotation, and automatic means operated responsive to such movement for reversing the direction of said couple.

19. The combination, With a rotating me1nber, of means Jfor generating a gyroscopic couple to move said member about an axis non-coincident With the axis of rotation, and automatic means operated responsive to such movement for extinguishing` said couple.

20. The combination, with a rotating member, of a supporting axis for said member non-coincident With the axis of rotation, means for generating` gyroscopic couples to cause said member to move about said supporting axis, and mechanism operated automatically responsive to such movement for controllingthe generation of said couples.

21. The combination, With a rotating member, of a supporting axis for said member non-coincident With the axis of rotation, means for generating gyroscopic couples to cause said member to move about said supporting axis, electro-magnetic means Jfor controlling the generation of said couples, and a contact device operated automatically responsive to such movement for controlling said electromagnetic means.

22. In combination, a gyroscope, means supporting said gyroscope so that a turning couple is generated by gravity, thereby generating a gyroscopic couple, and means automatically operated by said gyroscope in moving responsive to the gyroscopic couple for extinguishing the turning couple.

23. In combination, a gyroscope, means supporting said gyroscope so that a turning Zouple is generated byv gravity, thereby generating a gyroscopic couple, and means automatically operated by said gyroscope in moving responsive to the gyroscopic couple for extinguishing the turning couple, said last means comprising an electromagnet device and a circuit controller for operating the same.

24:. The combination, With an electric fan, of means supporting said ian on an axis noncoincident With the shaft of the fan motor, a separate electromagnetic device for causing a reciprocating movement of the fan about said axis, and a circuit controller operated automatically responsive to such reciprocating movement for controlling said device.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 28th day of Sept., 1920.

RCDNEY G. RICHARDSON.

Vlos 

